June 16, 2008

By Beth Miller
www.SIUSalukis.com

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Salukis signed Fadzai Mawisire for the upcoming 2008-09 season. Mawisire will be transferring from Lindsey Wilson College, an NAIA college in Columbia, Ky., where she played for two and half years. Head coach Audra Nothwehr coached Mawisire before coming to SIU last season.

"Having coached Fadzai for two seasons before, I know that she is a great competitor," said Nothwehr. "She hits the ball very precisely and can hit any part of the court. She will have an immediate impact on our team in both singles and doubles."

Mawisire, a native of Zimbabwe, held a No. 78 ranking in Internaional Tennis Federation Juniors at the time that she left Zimbabwe so start her college career. Mawisire won her country's first medal, a silver medal, in women's singles at the 2003 All-African games. She also teamed up with Fadzai Masiyazi, currently playing at Indiana State, to win the silver medal in doubles that year. Mawisire has been asked to represent Zimbabwe in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Mawisire finished in the semifinals of the NAIA National Tennis Championships in 2006, 2007, and 2008. She played No. 2 singles for the Blue Raiders of LWC in 2008, behind the NAIA National Singles Champion, Candela Castanon. In 2007, Mawisire remained undefeated at No. 3 singles, while finishing top in the nation (NAIA) at No. 1 doubles in 2006 and 2007. Mawisire comes to SIU after posting a 42-5 career record in singles at LWC, with a 55-6 overall doubles record.